Kiwi plant named ‘Skelton A16’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct kiwi plant of the species  Actinidia chinensis  is described. The cultivar results from a controlled pollination using a  A. chinensis  selection ‘ALC13’ and a female  A. chinensis  selection ‘A124.’ Both named parents (‘ALC13’ and ‘A124’) are unpatented cultivars. The new cultivar is distinguished by its small fruit size, slightly depressed to slightly blunt protruding stylar end, and the medium to early harvest date of the fruit in early April.

Latin name: Actinidia chinensis.

Varietal denomination: Skelton A16.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Genus and species of plant claimed: Actinidia chinensis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Kiwi plants in cultivation are mainly varieties of A. deliciosa,particularly ‘Hayward’ although some A. chinensis and A. argutavarieties are grown. A. deliciosa and A. chinensis are closely relatedand varieties of both types have large fruit (about 100 g) with hair onthe skin. The main varieties in New Zealand are ‘Hayward’ (A. deliciosa)and ‘Hort16A’ (A. chinensis). Fruit are usually cut and eaten with aspoon.

All Actinidia species are dioecious, so female varieties have to beinterplanted with male pollinizers to ensure fruit production.

A. chinensis vines are deciduous and tend to grow vigorously in springand summer when rapidly-growing shoots can intertwine and tangle if notmanaged. Vines do best in a mild warm-temperate climate without latespring or early autumn frosts. They produce consistently heavy cropswhen grown in well-drained fertile soils and given regular irrigation indry spells.

A. chinensis flowers in late September to late October in New Zealand.Harvest of A. chinensis fruit occurs from late February to late June inNew Zealand depending on the selection and location of plantings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinctive kiwifruit variety havinga slightly depressed, sunken end to slightly blunt protruding stylar endfruit shape with a harvest date of early April. This new variety isdesignated ‘Skelton A16’ and is derived from seed resulting fromcontrolled pollination of the Actinidia chinensis varieties ALC13 (male)and A124 (female).

Neither of the parents are registered with the Plant Variety RightsOffice in New Zealand or patented. The parent plants are part of anongoing breeding program established in New Zealand in 1975.

This new variety was created during the course of a plannedplant-breeding program, which was initiated in Waiuku, New Zealand in1994 and approximately 300 seedlings were raised at Rangiriri, NewZealand. ‘Skelton A16’ first flowered in October 1998 and fruit wereassessed in April 1999. Following fruit assessment, ‘Skelton A16’ wasgrafted onto six Actinidia deliciosa seedling rootstocks and onto sixActinidia chinensis rootstocks. The unique characteristics of ‘SkeltonA16’ continued and the asexually reproduced plants were true to type.

The new variety can be asexually reproduced as cuttings or by graftingor budding on to seedling or cutting-grown rootstocks of A. deliciosa orA. chinensis, or by striking cuttings, or by tissue culture. Trialplantings of grafted plants established in Rangiriri, New Zealand in1999 have shown that the unique combination of characters come true toform and are established and transmitted through succeeding asexualpropagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows typical fruit of the new variety in the studio;

FIG. 2 shows a close up of the fruit and foliage on the vine;

FIG. 3 shows typical fruit of the new variety in the orchard;

FIG. 4 shows typical fruit of the new variety in cross-section;

FIG. 5 shows typical fruit of the parent female A124 species in thestudio and in cross-section;

FIG. 6 shows typical fruit of the new variety in the studio comparedwith other varieties, in order: ‘A1;’ ‘Skelton A19;’ ‘Skelton A16;’ and‘Skelton X78;’ and

FIG. 7 shows typical fruit of the new variety in the studio comparedwith other varieties in cross-section, in order: ‘A1;’ ‘Skelton A16;’‘Skelton A19;’ and ‘Skelton X78.’

COMPARISON TO CLOSEST VARIETY

The distinctive characteristics of ‘Skelton A16’ were first observedwith the first fruit maturing in April 1999. The distinctivecharacteristics of this new Kiwi variety, described in detail below andshown in the accompanying photographs, were observed in April 2006 atRangiriri, New Zealand. The age of the plants was approximately sevenyears from grafting onto seedling rootstocks.

Comparison with the similar variety ‘HORT16A’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.11,066) shows that ‘Skelton A16’ may be distinguished as follows inTable 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison With Similar Variety. Observations made under NewZealand Growing Conditions Characteristic HORT16A A16 FRUIT Harvest DateEarly May Early April Color of Ripe Pericarp Medium yellow Dark yellow(2B) (12C/12B) Skin Color Yellow-brown 199B Grey/brown 199C Mean FreshWeight 43-176 grams 80-95 grams Mean Dry Matter at 18% 15.0-19.0%Harvest Average Length 79.1 mm 60.0 mm Average Width 51.1 mm 48.0 mmCore Diameter 12.4 mm 14.0 mm Width/Length Ratio 0.65 0.80 Sweetness(Brix) at 15.6% 17.5% maturity for consumption General Shape Ovoid OvoidCross sectional shape Circular Circular Shape at Stylar End Stronglyblunt Slightly depressed to protruding slightly blunt protruding Skin:Hairiness Present Low/downy VINE Shoots: Color 144B 145C Texture SmoothSmooth Stem: Colour-upper 177A 165A Colour-lower 199A 199C Mean diameter9.5 mm 8.9 mm Texture Smooth Smooth Lenticel (if present) PresentMedium, raised & rough LEAF: Colour-upper 147A 138B Colour-lower 148B138D Shape Orbiculate Broadly ovate Length 124 mm 191.5 mm Width 151 mm160.1 mm Apex Acute Obtuse Base Cordate Rounded Margin Ciliate CiliateTexture Glabrous Glabrous FLOWER Inflorescence: Predominant number 3 3of flowers Petiole: Length 103 mm 60.0 to 110 mm Colour 145B 145CPedicel: Length 27.1 mm 43 mm Colour 151A 199B Hairs Present PresentLength of hairs Very short Very short Flower: Coloration of petalsBi-coloured Bi-coloured Primary Colour White 155B White 155D Secondarycolour base Green 144D Green 145B of petal Diameter 51 mm 50.1 mmArrangement of Petals Overlapping Overlapping Mean number of 6 7-9petals/flower Mean length of petals 28.8 mm 23.5 mm Mean width of petals23.9 mm 18.5 mm Petal ratio of length to 1.21 1.27 width Petal shoulderPresent Present Filament colour Green/White 157A White 157B Anthercolour Yellow 16C Yellow 15C Attitude of styles Semi erect Semi erectCurvature of styles Absent Absent Colour of styles White 155D White 155BAmount of hair on Dense Dense ovary Colour of ovary White 157B White157B Number of sepals 6-7 6-8 Colour of sepal Green 148D Green 148CLength of sepals Range 8.7-12.4 mm 10.0-14.1 mm Mean 11.4 mm 11.6 mmSepal diameter 9.1 mm 5.3 mm Flower Opening Mid October Mid OctoberVegetative bud break Early September Early September Plant/fruit disease& None None pest resistance Plant hardiness zone or Not Known Not knownheat/cold resistance Color references are in accord with the R.H.S.Colour Chart, the Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2001

The most striking difference between ‘Skelton A16’ and ‘HORT16A’ is thatof flowering and harvest times. ‘Skelton A16’ ovoid fruit have slightlydepressed to slightly blunt protruding stylar end, whereas ‘HORT16A’ areovoid with a strongly protruding blunt stylar end. The harvest date of‘Skelton A16’ is in early April, a good two-four weeks prior to theharvest date of early May for ‘HORT16A.’

1. A new and distinct kiwi plant of the species A. chinensissubstantially as herein described and illustrated.